To go to A & E for tonsillitis

[northernmonkey1010]

Working in the local hospital today and see someone waiting over 3 hours in A & E for tonsillitis. Isn't this so merging you go to the chemist or the walk in centre for?

[YouTheCat]

Tonsillitis can be absolutely awful. Last time I had it I could hardly drink anything, was passing out and getting dehydrated. Even then I went to out of hours rather than A & E.

[greatbigwho]

We took my 2yo to A&E a couple of years back as she had a temp that we couldn't control, was shivering and was really vacant and just generally really unwell.

I was so embarrassed when they diagnos d tonsillitis

[Ipitythescale]

My husbands tonsillitis was so bad once he had to go to A&E as they were so swollen it was affecting his airway.

[LouieLou2013]

I took my partner as his was so bad, IV antibiotics and a hospital stay. It can be quite dangerous

[Sparkesx]

I think it depends on the severity of it. I suffer from Tonsillitis frequently and some cases are worse than others.

A few times I've not been able to eat/drink and literally felt like I was dying, I was so dehydrated I was hallucinating and fainting. Other times I've had it I've been bed bound but not so bad.

[kerryob]

Is there not an urgent care clinic nearby?

Without knowing the persons full medical history we can't really have an opinion on them being in a&e, they could have a compromised immune system just don't know. Of course they could be someone who should just see their GP but it's for a doctor to decide

[BubbleFairy]

DS1 was hospitalised for three days with tonsillitis as a toddler. I got into such a state once with it I couldn't breathe. It's not just a sore throat sometimes, although needing A&E is rare.

[EweAreHere]

I've had it so badly I couldn't swallow and needed antibiotics. Last time I checked, you need a doctor to prescribe antiobiotics and GPs aren't open today.

[TerriB84]

Tonsillitis can be quite severe. The last (and only) time I had tonsillitis I was actually sent to a&e by an out of hours walk in. I had already been to my GP at this point but my throats was so swollen I couldn't swallow the antibiotics they gave me. When I was finally seen I was actually admitted onto a ward as I needed IV antibiotics and was in hospital for 2 days.

[DanniiMinogue]

I would suggest that it would depend on the severity of it + what if it was actually quincy?

[x2boys]

you will get loads of people telling you ,you shouldnt go, just gargle with salt and water and all that bollocks but my sister ended up collapsing and then being taken to hospital and admitted for a week on IV antibiotics after her tonsillitIs turned into Quinsy sp?this was after her gp refused to prescribe antibiotics.

[NatalieRushman]

Tonsillitis can be dangerous if your airways close up. It hits some people really bad. Dp has been hospitalised due to this. He's never gone to A&E for it, bt I can understand why they would want to.

[DanniiMinogue]

*quinsy

[WhooooAmI24601]

I suffer tonsillitis fairly regularly and last time I had it was January 2016, when I was stuck in bed unable to get out for over 48 hours. DH heard my breathing becoming laboured overnight and decided I needed A&E. Turns out I'd got quinsy which was affecting my airways. Left untreated it can make you incredibly unwell.

Both DCs suffered with tonsillitis and whilst I'm not over-dramatic about illnesses I pushed for both to have tonsillectomies as soon as they possibly could. Having spent 35 years experiencing tonsillitis it isn't a mild illness by any stretch.

[80schild]

I am sure It is possible to get bacterial sepsis from tonsillitis so the answer is no - it isn't unreasonable.

[Horispondle]

My 2yo was admitted to paediatric ward two days ago for tonsillitis. We had taken him to the GP and he was referred immediately. Raging temp and severely dehydrated.

[x2boys]

it is 80s child and we lost a close relative to that last yr probably caused by untreated throat infection so i wouldnt take any chances.

[PandoNoPants]

Varying degrees of severity including Quinsy (peritonsillar abscess). It can be very, very nasty.

[YouTheCat]

I've had quinsy. It was terrible but luckily only on one side of my throat. The dr told me I was lucky not to end up in hospital that time.

[thisagain]

I guess/hope you're not medical staff?

[PlayOnWurtz]

Quinsy is a complication of tonsillitis and requires hospital treatment

[BakeOffBiscuits]

I was told by my doctor to take DD to A&E if her tonsilitis became worse, he was worried about quinsy.

[gladysorglynis]

My mum has been hospitalised several times with tonsillitis and was seriously ill. Yet they still won't take the mother fuckers out because she hasn't had it a million times in one year!

[RhodaBorrocks]

I rang 111 yesterday to ask for an OOH GP appointment. I thought I had an ear infection. I could initially hear the incredulity in the call handlers voice, but once I told her my medical history and reasons for concern I was fast tracked through the system because I definitely needed checking.

I have an ear infection AND tonsillitis and am currently on day 4 in bed (had noro before that).

So without knowing medical history it's very hard to say. For people like me A&E wouldn't be a bad choice (although I'll always try the GP first) but for a normally healthy person, it's probably a bit of a waste of resources and clogs the system for others.

[needsahalo]

I took my them 6 year old to the walkin with tonsillitis,a few years ago and we were duly sent off to A&E with a letter to hand over. The walkin doctor thought he might have needed admitting he was so ill - hadn't eaten in about 4 days due to the pain and was refusing to drink.